“There are so many fond memories from those days in Catholic school,” said Mendoza. “We were so influenced by our educators. The nuns and priests encouraged me to work hard, to be honest. They taught us not to waste. Those are things that a lot of us still practice today.”

It’s that connection that has Mendoza excited about St. John Neumann naming classrooms in honor of the Catholic schools that have been shuttered since 1971.

“I think it’s neat that they would do this to honor those schools that were such a big part of the Catholic community for so many years,” he said. “I think the exposure is nice and I like that the kids will get to learn about the old Catholic schools.”

Neumann will unveil the new classroom names on Friday.

Mendoza said it was in Catholic school that he discovered his talent in art.

“Back then, art supplies were hard to come by, but the nuns would let me stay in during recess to draw on the blackboard. They must have liked them (artwork) because they would let them stay up on the board for others to see.”

When the schools closed, many former students like Mendoza were connected only to their classmates.

Now, he said, former students can find a connection at St. John Neumann.

“It’s not the same as having the school open, but at least there’s a connection to a Catholic school.”